Suzuka, Japan

SKYY VODKA GRAND PRIX OF JAPAN - SUNDAY 7TH APRIL 2002 - RACE DAY

HOPKINS SCORES IN RACE DEBUT

A day of unbelievably contrasting fortunes for the Red Bull Yamaha squad today at a wet Suzuka ­ scene of the historic first GP featuring the new 990cc four-strokes and two-stroke 500s.

John had an absolutely unforgettable debut, crashing out of the 21-lap race twice, yet he still celebrated his first GP with a remarkable 12th place.  He eventually ended up five laps behind race winner Valentino Rossi, but collected four points.  

Unfortunately Garry crashed out of the race on lap three, the same lap when Hopkins tumbled out for the first time. Unlike his team-mate, the Australian's YZR was too badly damaged to continue.

JOHN HOPKINS ­ 12th place - Four World Championship Points
"That was a pretty eventful debut. I got a good start but at the end of the third lap when I was trying to catch Nakano, I left my braking late for the chicane and ran onto the dirt and the bike just slid from underneath me. I managed to get going again and I caught up with a bunch of riders that included Katoh, Laconi and Capirossi. I was catching up with those guys pretty quickly but I guess I got a little bit ahead of myself. I then lost the front but the bike was still running, even though the fairing was damaged and I only had one footpeg. 

I pulled into the pits and saw there were only 16 riders left on the track, so we fixed the bike up and I went back out again.
The quickshifter was broken so I was having too change gear with my left hand sometimes but after all that happened, too get a 12th and four points in my first race is a great feeling."


GARRY McCOY ­ DNF
"I lost the front end in the second right-hander after turn one. I thought everything was going pretty easy but the front just went away and I was down. I actually had a good feeling from the Dunlop wet tyres but I really think the problem is in the right-hand corners. My right leg is just not strong enough at the moment. I'll try and be fit for the next race in South Africa."


Team Manager - Peter Clifford
"That was different. To score four points after falling out of the race twice is a different way to start a GP career. We hope that John doesn't continue in the same fashion. It was a great ride from John. At the moment, we just have to live through what is a difficult period for Garry. 

SKYY VODKA GRAND PRIX OF JAPAN

SATURDAY 6TH APRIL 2002

OFFICIAL QUALIFYING


GARRY McCOY 17th Fastest ­ 2.06.193 

Garry suffered another big crash this afternoon with around 28 minutes of the session remaining. It happened accelerating on to the start/finish straight. Before that he'd managed to shave 1.7s off his best time from yesterday. It doesn't appear that he has damaged the right leg again, but he is going to see Dr. Costa for a check-up.

"I hooked neutral in the chicane and then I got second gear instead of first. But I felt like I still wanted to finish off the lap.  Coming out of the chicane though the bike low-sided, came back and then flipped out for a second time and I was off it. I took most of the impact on my body but obviously this was the last thing I needed given the injury to my right leg. I'm going to see Dr Costa to make sure everything is ok.


JOHN HOPKINS Position 18th Fastest ­ 2.06.302

"I¹m really pleased in one respect because it shows the progress I'm making having knocked 1.3s off my best time from yesterday. But at the same time I'm a little disappointed because of my last flying lap I was going to set an even better time when I made a mistake coming out of the last corner. I'd gone through the first two sectors really well feeling really strong, but in the same corner where I crashed yesterday, I made a really big mistake. It nearly pitched me off and messed me up for the run on to the straight. I looked down at my lap counter and it said 2.06.8, so it cost me a lot of time because that was half-a-second slower than my best lap, and I know that lap was going to be better. 

Hopefully I can get a good start and run some consistent times and get in a battle with some of the guys in front of me on the grid."

The first race of the Season is the Skyy Vodka Grand Prix of Japan and this is what our riders had to say about being back on the bike on the first day of practice.


Garry McCoy - Bike 8 Position - 19th 2'07.976

"With the wind being the way it was today it was very difficult for me to go any better than I did. I never really got a chance to do what I'd call a good lap. I'm still struggling for strength in my leg but that is to be expected. I'm a little disappointed but there's not really much more I can do given the windy conditions and the problems I have with my leg".


John Hopkins - Bike 21 Position - 16th 2'07.686 

John crashed with around two minutes of the session remaining but escaped unhurt. 

"I was really happy up to the point I crashed. I'd just come in for a new rear tyre to try and improve my time and had got behind a good bunch of guys when I crashed at the last right-hander leading up to the chicane. I was trying to get out of the turn fast so that I could get a tow off the guys who were in front of me down the straight but the rear just broke away. I guess there just wasn't enough heat in the tyre because I'd only done one out lap. Luckily I didn't pick up an injury. The bike has been working really well and we haven't really made many changes to the set-up. I was hoping to get down to a time in the high 2.06 bracket but apart from the crash at the end of the session it has been a good day."